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European Elder

Sambucus nigra

Found in disturbed areas, uncommonly cultivated. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

—
Not native

Not native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 29%

Light
4 or more hours of direct sun
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist

At a glance

Not yet recorded · Height · Spread · Life cycle · Leaves · Bloom

This plant is missing most of its facts, so Quercus is looking them up in old botany books.

County records are not available.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

34CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Sambucus

  • Achatodes zeaeElder Shoot Border Moth, Spindele Worm, Cornstalk Borer
  • Aethalura intertextaFour-Barred Gray
  • Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
  • Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
  • Callima argenticinctellaOrange-Headed Epicallima
  • Campaea perlataPale Beauty, Fringed Looper
  • Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
  • Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
  • Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
  • Episimus argutanaSumac Leaftier
Show all 34
  • Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
  • Eueretagrotis attentusAttentive Dart
  • Euplexia benesimilisAmerican Angle Shades
  • Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
  • Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
  • Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
  • Lacanobia grandisGrand Arches
  • Melanchra adjunctaHitched Arches
  • Melanchra pictaPainted Arches, Zebra Caterpillar Moth
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
  • Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
  • Papaipema cataphractaBurdock Border, Potato-Stalk Borer
  • Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
  • Paralobesia viteanaAmerican Vine Moth, Grape Berry Moth
  • Proteoteras moffatianaMaple Bud Borer, Maple Shoot Borer
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Tetracis crocallataYellow Slant-Line
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Xestia smithiiSmith's Dart
  • Paralobesia rhoifructana
  • Paralobesia sambuci
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
49BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Sambucus

  • Anthus rubescensAmerican Pipit
  • Aphelocoma californicaCalifornia Scrub-Jay
  • Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
  • Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
  • Cardinalis cardinalisNorthern Cardinal
  • Catharus fuscescensVeery
  • Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
  • Catharus minimus/bicknelliGray-cheeked/Bicknell's Thrush
  • Catharus ustulatusSwainson's Thrush
  • Coccothraustes vespertinusEvening Grosbeak
Show all 49
  • Contopus virensEastern Wood-Pewee
  • Cyanocitta stelleriSteller's Jay
  • Dendragapus obscurusDusky Grouse
  • Dryobates pubescensDowny Woodpecker
  • Dryobates villosusHairy Woodpecker
  • Empidonax alnorum/trailliiAlder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's Flycatcher)
  • Empidonax difficilisPacific-slope Flycatcher
  • Hylocichla mustelinaWood Thrush
  • Icterus bullockiiBullock's Oriole
  • Melanerpes formicivorusAcorn Woodpecker
  • Melospiza melodiaSong Sparrow
  • Melozone crissalisCalifornia Towhee
  • Myadestes townsendiTownsend's Solitaire
  • Myiarchus cinerascensAsh-throated Flycatcher
  • Oreortyx pictusMountain Quail
  • Passerina cyaneaIndigo Bunting
  • Patagioenas fasciataBand-tailed Pigeon
  • Pheucticus ludovicianusRose-breasted Grosbeak
  • Pheucticus melanocephalusBlack-headed Grosbeak
  • Pipilo maculatusSpotted Towhee
  • Piranga ludovicianaWestern Tanager
  • Sayornis nigricansBlack Phoebe
  • Sayornis sayaSay's Phoebe
  • Sialia currucoidesMountain Bluebird
  • Sialia mexicanaWestern Bluebird
  • Sialia sialisEastern Bluebird
  • Sphyrapicus variusYellow-bellied Sapsucker
  • Toxostoma redivivumCalifornia Thrasher
  • Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
  • Tyrannus tyrannusEastern Kingbird
  • Tyrannus verticalisWestern Kingbird
  • Vireo belliiBell's Vireo
  • Vireo gilvusWarbling Vireo
  • Vireo griseusWhite-eyed Vireo
  • Vireo huttoniHutton's Vireo
  • Vireo olivaceusRed-eyed Vireo
  • Vireo solitariusBlue-headed Vireo
  • Zonotrichia atricapillaGolden-crowned Sparrow
  • Zonotrichia leucophrysWhite-crowned Sparrow
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
VIBURNACEAE

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Conservation status

West Virginia rankS5
Global rankNot available
WV statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source

Native alternatives

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Sources